The game played on web development is that javascript is used to make for deficiencies in the basic functionality of browsers - both bad implementation of web standards as well as functionality missing from the standards. Developers would be much better of if web browsers provided a high-quality, full featured experience to create web applications/sites. Of course, this is not easy to do, especially when there are several browsers competing for the same market. As long as this happens, javascript will be aways be used to provide the extra functionality that is needed, even on content-only web sites.